Footprint+Tracker

=​Footprint Tracker =

===//**"Don't blow it - good planets are hard to find." **// //**~Quoted in Time Magazine**// ===

 //Developed by:// Karina Borg, karborg@yahoo.com Sarah Cisneros, sarah_cis@yahoo.com Dan Comins, dancomins@gmail.com Barbara Fanning, fanning_barbara@hotmail.com Krista Ferguson, pisceskdr@gmail.com

Instructional Objective
Footprint Tracker has been created for 9th-12th grade students and is anchored in Science and Math. The content covered meets the curricula standards for the State of California.

//After completing the game of Footprint Tracker students will be able to://
 * Define carbon footprint
 * Calculate a carbon footprint using basic addition and subtraction math concepts
 * Identify ways to reduce their carbon footprint

Learners & Context of Use
This game is designed for math & science students grades 9-12, and can be used inside or outside the formal classroom setting. The California State standards for science cover a wide range of topics for these grade levels, but every grade level has at least one area of study that directly applies to the content found in Footprint Tracker. Some of these topics include but are not limited to photosynthesis, living systems, earth sciences, chemical reactions, conservation of energy, heat & thermodynamics, organic chemistry, ecology, and the structure/composition of the atmosphere. This game also incorporates minimal basic math concepts found in The California State standards for math for grades 9-12 including arithmetic operations, statistics and mathematical reasoning.

When Footprint Tracker is used in the formal math and science classes, each game character will have to represent a group of students instead of an individual unless multiple copies of the game are in use. Prior to the first use of the game, the teacher will need to explain what a carbon footprint is according to the students' grade level so they will have a basic understanding of the purpose of playing the game. Post-game activities can include having students calculate their own carbon footprint, write a list or explanatory paragraph addressing the areas of their lives where changes can be made to reduce their carbon footprint, and etc. This game can be played more than once because individuals and/or groups can change characters, answer different questions, receive different chance cards and land on varying board spaces.

Competing Products
Footprint Tracker incorporates various elements to engage and educate players about ways they can reduce their carbon footprint. Given the relevancy of this topic, many games have been developed to educate learners on this subject. The following section reviews several carbon footprint games and discusses the similarities and differences between those games and Footprint Tracker.

Game: Errand Run Developer: EcoKids; Earth Day Canada (EDC) URL: @http://www.ecokids.ca/pub/eco_info/topics/environmental/errandRun/index.cfm Errand Run is an interactive online game available at EcoKids a web site developed by Earth Day Canada. The object of this game is to complete your errands while causing the least amount of pollution. To play, you select the order in which you will complete your errands and your form of transportation. Once those items are selected the player will receive a question about air pollution and other environmental topics to earn points. They will then receive a fast fact about air pollution and environmental topics and then advance to the next errand until complete. At the end points are added to determine the final score.
 * What's out there that covers the same content as this game?**

Game: Earthopoly Developer: Late for the Sky URL: http://www.lateforthesky.com/Content/Product-30-1-239.htm?CategoryName=SPECIALTY-OPOLY&CategoryID=6 Earthopoly is a board game much like Monopoly designed by Late for the Sky productions, which apparently designs a whole host of custom Monopoly-themed games. According the website and some reviews online, the basic premise is like Monopoly, but with an eco-friendly twist in that players try to collect carbon credits and trade them for clean air. The premise seems interesting, but reviews on TerraPass seem somewhat mixed in the educational aspects of the game.

Game: Carbon Game Developer: European Union URL: http://www.carbongame.org The carbon game is an online Flash game funded by the European Union for schools in an effort to teach the principle of using cap and trade policies in a market setting to reduce carbon emissions. This is a team game where students buy and sell carbon in an auction in rounds and there is international competition between European schools.

Game: Carbon Rally Developer: Carbonrally.com URL: http://carbonrally.com Carbon Rally is sort of a mash-up of a game with social networking features and has the unique take on the idea of reducing a carbon footprint in a fun way -- you actually complete online challenges to reduce your carbon footprint in the real world. The object is to reduce your own carbon footprint as much as you can by accepting challenges from the web site itself as well as from other site participants it seems to be for nothing else other than "bragging rights," so in that sense it isn't exactly a game in the vein in which we are trying to design, but does present a fun way to not only learn about reducing one's carbon footprint, but actually reducing it in practice.

Game: FootPrints Developer: Signature Games (http://signtaturegames.com.au ) URL: @http://www.footprintsgame.com.au/game.php FootPrints is a race-style game aimed at middle school students in order to educate about the concept of carbon footprints. According to the site, "Players move through a special spiral of environmental challenges toward the center of the board by answering environmental questions and causing as little damage to the environment as possible. The player who causes the least damage wins the game." It appears to be similar to Trivial Pursuit in that players need to answer 5 category questions about environmental topics correctly in order to move closer to the center of the board -- Earth -- which is the goal.

Game: Let's Save Our Earth Developer: Eco-Angel Enterprises URL: http://home.earthlink.net/~saveourearth/ Let's Save Our Earth is another board game designed for schools, again to teach children about environmental issues and ways in which they can make small changes in their lives and habits to reduce their impact on their environment. The object is to move from start to finish, collecting trees along the way by answering questions. There also seems to be two opposing forces worked into the game -- Eco Angels which help educate players in earth-saving tips, and Schmutzies, which apparently do the opposite and provide roadblocks for players trying to reach their goal. Seems like an interesting concept and looks to be about the quality of games that could potentially come out of this EdTec 670 class.

Game: Consumer Consequences Developer: American Public Media URL: [] Consumer Consequences is an online game that "lets you compare your lifestyle with other players and gives you a change to modify your choices and reduce your footprint." This game focuses on sustainable living in general an not just reducing carbon emissions.

Footprint Tracker like many of the games reviewed for this analysis have similar elements including:
 * How is your game similar to others?**
 * Players are exposed to facts about air pollution, climate change and things they can do to reduce their carbon footprint.
 * Players answer questions about air pollution, climate change and things they can do to reduce their carbon footprint.

Footprint Tracker focuses on teaching players about carbon emissions and calculating one's carbon footprint similar to other games however, the game provides the players with fictitious carbon footprints based on a set of profiles rather then on their own footprint which is often found in other games and simulations on this topic. In addition to the unique player profiles, it also focuses on carbon footprints and personal carbon emissions rather then the topic of carbon trading and the carbon trading system.
 * How is it different and better?**

**Object of the Game**
The object of Footprint Tracker is to complete the game board and be the player with the lowest carbon footprint/carbon points once everyone has completed the game board.

Content Analysis
--a measure of the impact our activities have on the environment, and in particular climate change --The total amount of greenhouse gases produced to directly and indirectly support human activities, usually expressed in equivalent tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) --**any combustible organic material, as oil, coal, or natural gas, derived from the remains of former life --All fossil fuels produce carbon dioxide (carbon emissions) when burned --Coal is the dirtiest fossil fuel --**any of the gases whose absorption of solar radiation is responsible for the greenhouse effect, including carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, and the fluorocarbons --**the introduction of harmful substances or products into the environment -- carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide produced by motor vehicles and industrial processes and forming pollutants in the atmosphere -- state and countries that emit a lot or a little carbon --**CO2 (its chemical formula) --traps heat from the sun, contributes to greenhouse effect/climate change --**CO -an international agreement for all countries to reduce their overall carbon emissions || Featured on the Game Board, Challenge Cards and Chance Cards || Carbon Emissions Climate Change - Sea level rise - increase in carbon PPM in atmosphere - ideas to mitigate effects - the Kyoto Protocol - what we choose to eat effects climate change ** Carbon Offsets** || Featured on the Game Board, Challenge Cards and Chance Cards || - If one's carbon footprint grows larger, this directly contributes to climate change. - Doing certain things such as recycling, using more energy efficient appliances, and driving hybrid vehicles all help to lower the carbon footprint whereas leaving lights one when not needed, using big trucks and SUVs, etc. all contribute to a larger footprint. || Featured on the Game Board, Challenge Cards and Chance Cards ||
 * ~ Content Type ||~ Content Elements ||~ Game Elements ||
 * ===**Facts**=== || **Definition of Carbon Footprint**
 * Fossil Fuels
 * Greenhouse Gases
 * Pollution
 * Carbon Emissions**
 * Carbon Dioxide
 * Carbon Monoxide
 * Renewable Sources of Energy**
 * Kyoto Protocol**
 * ===**Concepts**=== || **Carbon Footprint
 * Calculating Carbon Footprints
 * ===**Principles**=== || - If people work to lower their emissions level, they can in turn decrease their carbon footprint.
 * ===Procedures=== || How to modify a carbon footprint.The game does not review the procedure for calculating ones carbon footprint however it touches on the basic procedure through game play. Footprint Tracker includes a starting carbon footprint where players add and subtract points based on actions and behaviors and when answering questions correctly. Essentially this is the procedure one can use to calculate their own carbon footprint || Featured on the Game Board, Challenge Cards, Chance Cards and Profile Cards ||
 * ===Processes=== || N/A || N/A ||
 * ===Probabilities=== || N/A || N/A ||
 * ===Context=== || Carbon Emissions are often linked to climate change. In turn climate change will impact the environment, economy and public's well being and safety throughout the world. || Featured on the Game Board, Challenge Cards and Chance Cards ||
 * ===Vantage Points=== || Players role play as adults considering four components: living arrangement, vehicle, diet, and recycling practices. Each profile is balanced so players start out with 60,000 points (60,000 pounds is approximately the National average). || Profile Cards ||

Time Required

 * To set up this game and determine the starting player can take up to 5 minutes.
 * The fastest player may finish in 25-30 minutes, but to have all players finish will take longer. The average game will last between 30-45 minutes.
 * If used in the classroom, games may be carried over for use in multiple periods if necessary by having players write down the location of his/her game piece before putting game materials away, and by having the instructor collect the score cards for safe keeping.

Game Materials
1 Instruction Sheet 1 Game Board 6 Pawns/Movers 1 Die 6 Carbon Profile Cards 30 Challenge Cards 20 Chance Cards

Materials Downloads
All materials are provided in easy-to-download PDF files.

//If prompted, password is: footprint Rules // Gameboard (10 x 16 size) Profile Card Front Challenge Card Front Chance Card Front Challenge Cards (all) Chance Cards (all) Profile Cards (all) Cover Art

**Profile Cards**
Profile Cards determine each players starting Carbon Footprint and the various elements in which it is comprised. Each player will start with a profile at or below the United States average Carbon Footprint of 60,000 points (1 point = 1 lb of carbon), including a breakdown of that number into 4 elements: home, transportation, food & diet, and recycling & waste. Each of the profiles will have a balance of the 4 elements, certain elements being higher than in other areas, but still averaging at or just below the national average. For example, you may drive a Toyota Prius, but you live in a 4,000 sq. foot house and don't recycle. So in one or two areas, you'll be fairly low and in the others you'll be high -- this allows all players to start with the same number of points while emphasizing the various elements and lifestyle choices that impact one's carbon footprint.

The game board is comprised of approximately 40 spaces. Each space includes 1 of 3 player prompts: 1) Choose a Challenge Card and answer the corresponding question 2) Select a Chance Card and add or reduce your carbon footprint points based on the prompt 3) Land on a Board Space and add or reduce your carbon footprint points based on the prompt
 * The Game Board**

The following provides additional details about the three player prompts:

The board space is a space that instructs the player to lower or raise their carbon footprint points by a certain amount based on a behavior or action. For example, You biked to work for one week. Lower your carbon footprint by 200 points, or You left the AC on while you were on vacation. Raise your carbon footprint by 450 points. Generally, these spaces will raise or lower your carbon footprint in 100 increments depending on the action or behavior. **Challenge Cards** If a player lands on a board space that says Challenge Card, one of the other players will draw a Challenge Card and read it to the player who is in turn to answer the corresponding question. Challenge Cards include questions focused on carbon footprint facts, concepts, processes and choices. If the player on the space gets the answer correct, then the card will instruct the player to lower their carbon footprint by an amount printed on the card. Generally, these will be worth more than board spaces. There is no penalty if you do not answer the card correctly, it can only lower your overall carbon footprint if you answer correctly. ** Chance Cards ** The final type of space a player can land on is a Chance space. On these spaces, the player is instructed to draw a Chance card. Chance Cards are the luck of the draw. Chance cards will either reduce or increase a player's Carbon Footprint based on various activities, actions, and tasks listed on the card. For example, you traded in your current vehicle for a Ford F-150, raise your Carbon Footprint by 10,000 pts. Or you moved your family into a smaller 1,200 sq. ft home, lower your carbon footprint by 12,000 pts., etc. =The Rules= Ages: 14 to Adult Players: For 2 to 6 Players Playing Time: 30-45 minutes
 * Board Spaces**

**Object of the Game**
The object of Footprint Tracker is to complete the game board and be the player with the lowest carbon footprint/carbon points.

**Set Up**
1) Remove the pieces from the box and place the game board between the players on a hard surface. 2) Players select a game piece and place it on the start box on the board. 3) Separate the game cards. Fan Profile Cards out and stack Challenge/Chance Cards into 2 separate piles and place them close to the board. 4) Each player will need a piece of paper and a pencil to use to calculate his/her carbon points throughout the game. 5) One player will then read the following introduction aloud to the group before continuing on to Game Play.
 * **Introduction -** Welcome to the Footprint Tracker! The amount of Carbon being emitted into the atmosphere by mankind has grown at an exponential rate over the past 10 years. Choices made in transportation, housing, food & diet, and recycling positively or negatively affect an individual's impact on the environment. This game will help show you how your choices, and events outside your control, can alter Carbon emissions for better or worse. In this game...Negative is GOOD! Let's get trackin'

Game Play
**Player Profiles** 1) Each player will be assigned a Carbon Footprint of 60,000 points outlined on the Profile Card. (1 point = 1 lb of carbon) 2) To assign profiles, each player rolls the die one time. 3) The player with the lowest roll will choose a Profile Card. 3) Repeat steps 1 & 2 with the remaining players until all players have selected a Profile Card. 4) Each player then enters the carbon points from his/her chosen profile at the top of a piece of paper.

**How to Start** 1) Each player rolls the die one more time, and lowest roll will be first to start the game. 2) Play continues clockwise.

**How to Play** 1) Each player rolls the die to advance his/her pawn/mover. 2) Board Spaces will either add or subtract points immediately from a player's profile OR the player will choose a game card: 3) Players will calculate points on the scorecard after each turn. 4) Repeat steps 1-3 in a clockwise manner until all players have reached the FINISH footprint. 5) If either all of Chance or Challenge Cards are drawn during the game, shuffle the deck of cards and continue play. 6) The 1st player to reach the FINISH footprint will receive a bonus deduction of 10,000 points. 7) Once all players have reached the FINISH footprint, players compare final Carbon Footprint point totals.
 * Take a Challenge Cards - to be read aloud by a player not in turn
 * Chance Cards - read aloud by the player during his/her turn

**How to WIN** The player with the //**lowest**// Carbon Footprint point total wins. **Play Variations**
 * A carbon reduction of 10,000 points is awarded to the player who completes the board first. Some players may choose to eliminate this reduction or increase the reduction. Players may also offer a tiered reduction based on the order in which each player finishes the board.
 * If play occurs in the classroom or you have more then 6 players, teams of 2-4 people can be formed and work together to answer questions thus reducing their overall Carbon Footprint.

Congratulations! You just completed Footprint Tracker and you now know what a carbon footprint is and learned a few strategies for reducing your own. If you are interested in learning more about ways to reduce or calculate your own carbon footprint, we have included a list of web resources for you to use as you begin to explore and get to tracking in real life. > We all contribute to global warming every day. The carbon dioxide you produce by driving your car and leaving the lights on adds up quickly. You may be surprised by how much Co2 you are emitting each year. Calculate your personal impact and learn how you can take action to reduce or even eliminate your emissions of carbon dioxide. > Use the EPA online calculator to get a rough “ballpark” estimate of your personal or family’s greenhouse gas emissions and explore the impact of taking various actions to reduce your emissions > Find out how many planets it takes to support your lifestyle.
 * Learn More**
 * **The Nature Conservancy: Carbon Footprint Calculator: What's My Carbon Footprint?** ( http://www.nature.org/initiatives/climatechange/calculator) Use The Nature Conservancy's **carbon footprint calculator** to measure your carbon footprint.
 * **WikiaGreen: How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint.**(http://green.wikia.com/wiki/How_to_reduce_your_carbon_footprint) Learn ways to reduce your **carbon footprint** and live a more earth-friendly lifestyle.
 * **An Inconvenient Truth**(http://www.climatecrisis.net/takeaction/carboncalculator)
 * **Environmental Protection Agency** (http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ind_calculator.html)
 * **Earth Day Network Footprint Calculator** (http://www.earthday.net/footprint/flash.html)

 Engaging the Learner
The game engages the learner by introducing a new and sometimes complex topic in a game format. Players have the opportunity to learn about this new and relevant topic in a fun and interactive environment where most players are starting with the same or similar base of knowledge. The game also encourages curiosity and thinking about carbon emissions in a new way, thus encouraging further learning once the game is completed. Players might be more interested in learning different ways they can lower their own real-life carbon footprint by doing and thinking about life's choices differently. Their curiosity piqued, players might search the Internet for other ways to lower their footprint not discussed in this game. The intent of this game is to educate players about how their everyday choices may impact the environment and ways in which they can reduce thei r own impact. This is an indirect effort to influence them to be more "eco-conscious" by providing them with this new knowledge.

The game's strengths and aspects of fun are directly due to challenge and  competition.

Challenge cards encourage curiosity and discovery by the introduction of a new topic. They also add elements of challenge by offering difficult questions while balancing the questions with the opportunity for success. Just the right amount of challenge is applied to the game's questions so players are required to think -- guessing the correct answer is not always easy. Players are encouraged to use both background knowledge and problem solving skills to answer the more difficult questions. This being said, there is a balance between easy, moderate, and advanced questions.
 * //Challenge & Chance//**

The chance cards add an element of surprise with players not knowing what awaits them. In terms of educational value, chance cards help to teach what sorts of activities are harmful or helpful to the environment. //**Competition**// In addition to challenges that questions provide, friendly competition which also helps the game to be more fun and engaging. Competing for the lowest carbon footprint excites players to follow through to the game's end and see what their final carbon score will be. The game is relatively quick and doesn't require much preparation, encouraging re-playability for players to see if they can lower their score while exposing them to new questions for increased learning.

Design Process
**Concept** The concept for Footprint Tracker was based on the perceived need to educate both adults and teens on how certain decisions and choices can increase or decrease our overall carbon emissions (carbon footprint) thus making a direct impact on the environment and on climate change.

Footprint Tracker, which started as a rough concept, began to truly develop into a real game during the collaboration between the game development team. Each of the team members had different ideas on how the game could be played and what the core elements would be. The first step was to determine what the overall objective of the game. Once the objective was determined the team agreed on including Challenge Cards to educate players on the topic of carbon footprints. It was also agreed that the game needed more to engage and stimulate players. It needed more flow and interaction then simply a game with questions and answers.
 * Collaboration**

The team then agreed that the board should include colorful elements to stimulate players as well as the addition of the element of surprise in the form of Chance Cards.

**Modifications/Enhancements** The game was originally intended for a much broader age group of age 6-Adult. Based on the significant education and comprehension gaps in these varying age ranges the group updated the content to reach a smaller age group. Footprint Tracker is recommended for ages 14 to Adult.

An additional modification included the revision of the Carbon Profile element. The initial idea made the Profile a significant element of the game where each player would randomly select cards featuring various carbon profile elements to come up with a different starting carbon footprint/points. The team determined this provided an unfair advantage/disadvantage to certain players based on chance rather then having an even playing field at the start. The team also agreed that including the profiles in this manner would impact player motivation especially for players who chose cards that gave them a higher footprint then others at the beginning.

During the play-testing it was observed that some of the students had difficulty answering some of the challenge questions. To address this feedback we needed to find a way to balance the element of challenge with the opportunity for success. The team agreed to remove and/or modify extremely difficult questions to multiple choice allowing greater opportunity for students to answer correctly while learning more difficult facts and concepts.

It was also observed during play-testing that students did not recognize many of the terms. For example, some students did not know what a Toyota Prius was. To help address this, the team agreed to include a list of web resources where players could learn more about various carbon footprint topics. These resources may also prove useful to teachers and educators for developing complimentary lessons.

The team also wanted to add an element of surprise and chance to the game. Therefore, instead of simply having board spaces with actions and questions to answer, Chance Cards were added. Chance Cards included behaviors and actions that would either reduce or increase ones carbon points based on the luck of the draw. This element provided opportunities for players to interact in a fun way while gaining a better understanding of how behaviors can impact ones overall carbon footprint.

Future versions of the game may include an option for players to track each of the elements that comprise their carbon footprint separately. This could be accomplished by color coding game board spaces and cards to correspond with the appropriate category. **Feedback** As with any project or product feedback from your audience is critical to the overall success. As part of the development process for Footprint Tracker the team utilized three main types of feedback including faculty input, peer review and play-testing.

__Faculty Input__ The faculty input provided a better insight into the profile concept and the need to start with a level playing field. This input also helped emphasize the importance of clear and concise directions for play.

__Peer Review__ Peer Review provided input from students not closely tied to the overall concept or success of the game. This input was critical as it allowed us to learn from their challenges as well as provide varying points of view and "what ifs" from other //game developers//.

__Play-Testing__ Play-Testing proved to be the most important feedback. This allowed us to watch and observe players as they played Footprint Tracker. It not only provided us with insight on how easy or difficult it was for players to answer questions but also on how the information presented allowed players to complete the game. We conducted two sessions with modifications between the sessions which proved to enhance and improve the game. Some of the modifications included: To read a full summary of play-testing results visit the Play-Testing Results page. The development of Footprint Tracker provided several lessons the team can use in their future game development endeavors. These lessons included:
 * Directions were clarified and updated
 * An introduction paragraph was added
 * The board was improved to show a clearer pathway
 * Pounds (lbs) were converted to points and used consistently
 * Challenge Card difficulty levels were modified or removed
 * Additional Challenge Cards were created
 * Lessons Learned**
 * An idea is just an idea. The key is how you implement this idea. What is the user experience?
 * Two heads are better then one. The team collaboration was critical to the successful development of Footprint Tracker
 * When developing games each team member must be flexible and open to new ideas and modifications
 * Defining the audience and the objective are key elements to define prior to design of a game
 * Feedback from peers and the intended audience is essential and provides designers with some insight of how successful and relevant the content of the game is to the player as well as what works and/or does not work for meeting objectives, engaging users and providing a positive playing experience.